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Read all about our current work, get in touch for more info and please share with a friend or colleague to help us spread the word.
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At the start of a new year, we are reflecting, planning, collaborating and configuring, but most importantly, we are launching!
The Creative Resilience Programme is one of our new initiatives that we are hoping will be a big hit with artists, businesses, statutory organisations and the general public alike for years to come. It has been developed by artists and business experts and has a focus on personal resilience. We will be delivering the first ever session this Friday in Bath to a willing group of artists, whom we hope will be giving us much welcomed feedback in return. The programme is centred around a unique model that contains seven elements, or tools, of resilience that can be used in a wide-range of situations at work, or in everyday life. It is delivered creatively, and also has creativity itself as a central theme of resilience. We hope this programme will, in particular for artists, empower them to take further steps to having fulfilling and sustainable careers, without the anxiety and doubt that often surrounds the freelance lifestyle in the cultural sector.
Alongside this programme, we will also be launching a new enterprise programme for artists, imaginatively called (for now!)
Enterprise Works. This again, aims to support artists in their careers and will focus on the socially engaged artist as social entrepreneur. We hope to be delivering this in collaboration with the University of Bath who will bring a huge amount of their experience and expertise to the table. It will explore business and enterprise tools, and also taxing matters such as, er..., tax. I am very excited about this programme as I believe that artists, indeed everyone who is trying to make a living by working in the arts, could benefit from being a bit more savvy in terms of seeing themselves, and selling themselves, as a business. This in no way means having to embrace the profiteering, corporate ideology most of us spend our lives railing against, rather it embraces our passion for making great art and social change at the same time and being able to support ourselves and our families whilst doing so.
In other news this January, please do look out for our
Flash Sale where you will be able to pick up a bargain and launch yourself into 2019 with an inspiring co|Create session. See inside the newsletter for more details about that.
Olly
Director, Creativity Works
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NEWSFLASH - Two places have become available on our Creative Resilience for Artists programme this Friday 18th January. Click for details
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Fresh Art@ call-out for participants
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We are currently taking enrolments for the next Fresh Art@ Project that starts in February. This project is a unique opportunity to support people in B&NES with mental health challenges. If you would like to to know more about taking part please contact Tasha natasha.beesley@nhs.net or Philipa philippa@creativityworks.org.uk.
The deadline for enrolments is 21st Jan 2019.
What is Fresh Art@?
Fresh Art@ is an innovative partnership project where Creativity Works has partnered with Avon & Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership Trust (AWP), The Bath Museum Partnership and Virgin Care to offer a unique opportunity for individuals living with mental health challenges to explore their creativity, improve wellbeing and increase independence and cultural connections.
Last year's bright and bold collection of work was created over the course of 12 weeks, where the Fresh Artists met to work alongside lead artist Barbara Disney, Fresh Art worker Tasha Bee, volunteer Carolyn Trippick and museum staff. They spent 4 weeks at each of the museums, where they were able to explore, learn, create and be inspired.
"The Fresh Art@ project is an incredibly inspiring project; it's a unique opportunity that allows
individuals with mental health issues to engage in art, within a highly supported and relaxed setting.
The museums provide inspirational environments and collections that encourage creativity and positive cultural engagement," Carolyn Trippick.
To read about the artwork created last year as part of Fresh Art@, please click here. |
"Words of Love" Creative Writing Taster Session
Come and try out new ways of putting love and kindness to words. This session will give you a chance to explore creative writing and expressing yourself in creative words. No experience necessary. Facilitated by Greg Atkin and members of Writing Space.
Tuesday 12th February 1.30pm - 3.30pm
Cost: £2.00 booking essential
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Photograph by John, one of the Foxhill Happy Snappers, who are having an exhibition at The Hub, Mulberry Park next month.
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Photography Exhibition private view by Foxhill Happy Snappers
Meet the artists and learn about Foxhill through the eyes of residents and the journey's of exploration around the locality over the last year.
When: Thursday 14th Feb from 11am - 1pm
Where: The Hub at Mulberry Park, Bath BA2 5BZ.
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We are talking part in the largest ever Bristol & Bath 24 hr Flash Sale which starts at 10.00am tomorrow [Thursday 17th January].
Keep an eye on your inbox tomorrow morning for our official Flash Sale email with our offers!
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From music, theatre, art and museum exhibitions to club nights, family events and theatre classes, there are lots of deals. Try something new, grab a bargain and kick off your year with a barrow-load of amazing culture!
This is the 10th and largest ever edition of the Culture Flash Sale, which this time sees 30+ organisations from across Bristol and Bath offer culture fans amazing discounts and deals to help beat the January blues.
For a full list of organisations taking part and links to all available offers, go to the Visit Bristol website at
www.visitbristol.co.uk or search using the hashtag on Twitter #CultureFlashSale.
The Culture Flash Sale takes place for 24 hours only on Thursday 17 January 2019. Offers are limited - once they're gone, they're gone - so act fast. This is the 10th edition of the sale which aims to stimulate interest and sales in cultural events across the region.
The Culture Flash Sale is co-ordinated by the Bristol Arts Marketing Network in co-operation with Bristol and Bath Cultural Destinations Project and Visit Bristol.
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We will be sending a dedicated Flash Sale email out tomorrow morning at 10.00am. |
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Walking, Creating and Connecting
Would you like to explore ways of walking to inspire your creativity, connect with your senses and create a deeper understanding of your relationship to place?
Led by artist Christina Sanders, this three hour 'Walkshop' explores a range of approaches to walking, drawing on surrealist games to playfully imagine and interpret your surroundings, linking personal memories and associations with landscape, whilst introducing new ways to capture your impressions. It offers an invitation to walk consciously, with awareness, taking in sights, smells, sounds and textures; to be aware of memories and associations that arise with each step.
Participants will have the opportunity to try out a number of different approaches, using walking as both inventive and reflective practice.
At the end of the 'Walkshop', we will come together to share experiences and discuss ways to use and develop them in your work.
Date: Thursday 24th January
Time: 10am-1pm
Venue: Bath (tbc)
Price: £15.00
Book your place: Creativewalkshop Tickets
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Self-Portraiture as Visual Activism
Led by artist Noe Warren, this captivating and stimulating workshop aims to inspire artists and their socially engaged practice through an exploration of self-portraiture as a tool for visual activism.
Through a mix of self-reflection, conversation, photography skills-learning, and ultimately a unique and intimate portraiture session, it will encourage participants to create visual manifestations of themselves using photography and performance.
The workshop will also include a fascinating introduction into the work of leading photographers that practice self-portraiture as visual activism.
Noe Warren is a multidisciplinary artist and workshop facilitator. They have photographed performances all over the UK and worked with a vast range of independent performance artists and performance venues such as the Shakespeare Foundation and the Marlborough Theatre. Their workshops focus on experiences of resilience, transition and empowerment.
Date: Friday 15th February
Time: 2-5pm
Venue: Bath (tbc)
Price: £30.00
Book your place: Self-Portraiture Tickets
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Creative Resilience Programme Survey for business owners
The Creative Resilience Programme has been developed by enterprise and creative experts with the aim of supporting businesses with the personal resilience of their employees, leading to an increase in employee wellbeing in the workplace, increased productivity and increased staff retention.
If you are a business-owner, run a business, or work in a business managing staff, we would very much appreciate your time in completing this very short survey to help us further develop the initiative:
Creative Resilience Survey
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Voices of Creativity Works - We want to hear your stories
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Have you taken part in a Creativity Works Project and would like to share the positive impact it's had on your life?
We are taking part in the Somer Valley FM's 6 week challenge in January and would like to hear
from any participants, volunteers and artists who have taken part in any of our projects over the years.
We are going to be creating an hour long radio programme called 'Voices of Creativity Works' for Somer Valley FM and we'd like to hear YOUR stories.
If you'd like to know more about this and get involved please tell us about a Creativity Works Project you've taken part in and how it has helped you. Email to Morwhenna - morwhenna@creativityworks.org.uk.
To find out more about the challenge and to sign up yourself visit: Somer Valley 6 Week Challenge
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Artist Profile: Urban Playground
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This month we've the pleasure to introduce Urban Playground, who worked with us as part of Made in Foxhill, grab a cuppa and be inspired!
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Hello! Tell us a bit about yourself (and your artistic medium)
We're the original performance-parkour (2PK) company. We bring together dance, theatre and parkour in shows that play on the street and in theatres all over the world. We work with professional dancers and with community participants who come from all sorts of backgrounds. The youngest person we've worked with was 3, the oldest 95. We work with people of all abilities and we work with them where they live - from the snowy streets of Scandinavia to the scorching hot plains in Southern India.
What project/s are you currently working on with Creativity Works?
We were part of the Made In Foxhill project, going in to schools and working at various community events, introducing people to performance parkour and encouraging them to move.
Who inspires you? (and why)
So many people! We work with music a lot and at the moment we're enjoying the new wave of hiphop artists like Loyal Carner and Lil Simz, and people like Bishop Nehru and Moses Sumney who are shifting between genres.
What book or exhibition has inspired you recently?
There was a great exhibition at the Tate Modern recently called 'Degenerate Art' which showcased Weimar Republic graphic artists, a brilliant reference for making characters. We also love the work there by Guerrilla Girls. They deserve a much larger exhibition! We follow the Stop Telling Women To Smile project online, having encountered Tatyana Fazlalizadeh's work and having heard her talk when working in Baltimore a few years ago. Its a brilliant example of how an artist can work with participants to effect a visible change in the community.
What's been your biggest professional, personal or creative achievement to date?
Our company turns 20 next year. Its a huge achievement. Its difficult to have an ensemble in this country but our core team have all been working together for over a decade now and there's something very special about that. Also, being able to say we've toured across five continents will always be a big deal for us.
What are your creative aspirations?
We've recently moved to Cornwall where we're in the process of developing a permanent home. If we can raise the funding we'll have, within a couple of years, our own rehearsal space and the ability to welcome companies to come and make work here, and share their skills with young people growing up in the area.
What advice would you give an emerging socially engaged artist?
There's no set path or route that works. You have to be true to your own values, work from them, and be prepared to carve out your own path. Don't compromise. Do work with the same people for years. Choose partner organisations that are in it for the long-haul. Work with and support other artists and organisations. Promote diversity.
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Other Opportunities & Events
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Free Mental Health training: Connect 5 Places still available
Connect 5 training is available to anyone working in B&NES but will be of particular value to anyone who wants to be able to talk with others about their mental wellbeing. It is a modular course with up to 3 sessions available. How many sessions you cover will depend on your role? Places are available as follows:
Session 1 - Introduction
6th February 2019 9.30 - 13.30 The Aix en Provence Room Guildhall Bath
Session 2 - Understanding stress and distress and skills to support others
19th February 2019 9.30 - 16.30 Community Space Keynsham
Session 3 - Further developing skills to support others over time
8th February 2019 9.30 - 16.30 The Kaposvar Room, Guildhall Bath
Book your place: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/connect-5-session-3-8th-february-2019-tickets-46518486044
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Do you have experience of using maternity services in Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon or Wiltshire?
Do you have an interest in these services?
B&NES, Swindon and Wiltshire Local Maternity System are proposing to make some changes to our maternity services, and we want to know what you think.
What are we proposing to change and why?
We need to make better use of our resources, such as our staff, our finances and our environments, in order to make our services better and to help more women and their families have more choice.
Tell us what you think
We would like to know what you think of our proposal before we make any final decisions. To share your views with us, please f
ill in our survey: Transforming Maternity Survey
The closing date for filling in this survey is Sunday 24 February 2019.
If you have any questions about this survey or need the survey in an alternative format, such as an audio file, on CD, in large print or in another language, please contact Wiltshire Clinical Commissioning Group Communications Team at
maternity.transformationbsw@nhs.net
or by calling 01380 736026.
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Free Training for Carers
Training for family and friends who support someone with a mental health need has been developed by St.Mungo's
called PIE - Psychologically Informed environment.
The four sessions are:
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Understanding Mental Health Challenges
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Relationships 1 - Support people with mental health needs to make changes
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Relationships 2 - Conflict and Crisis
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Learning, reflecting and support - what carers need to create more boundaried relationships
When: Run over two
Saturdays 26th Jan and 9th Feb, 10am - 4.30am
Where:
Woodlands, Lower Bristol Rd, Bath BA2 9ES
We're piloting this course for the 2nd time and have 6 free spaces we'd love to fill.
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| Simply click through Give as You Live every time you shop online to raise money for Creativity Works |
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Thank you for reading our newsletter. If you would like to follow our updates in between newsletters remember that you can also follow us on
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With Best Wishes,
The Creativity Works Team
For more information:
Supported by Bath & North East Somerset Council and Arts Council England |
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Registered Charity No. 1075812 Company No. 3768255 Creativity Works for Everyone is a company limited by guarantee registered in England
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